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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Russell and Brake quiz Cameron at PMQs
May 14, 2011 10:56 AM
• [May 11] Bob Russell (Colchester, Liberal Democrat): THE Labour Government took Britain to the brink of bankruptcy. The gap between rich and poor widened, and nearly 4 million children were left living below the poverty line. Last month, the coalition Government cut income tax, liberally helping millions of people, but I have to ask the Prime Minister this: if we are all in this together, what is he going to do about the obscenity of 1,000 multimillionaires boosting their personal wealth by 18% in the past year?
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David Cameron (Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative): One of the things we absolutely will do-and we have put in the money to make sure it happens-is crack down on the tax evasion that takes place so widely in our country. The Treasury has put money into that campaign to make sure it happens. The hon. Gentleman makes a good point. Because of our coalition Government, we have lifted 1 million people out of income tax and, at the same time over the past year, we see exports up, private sector jobs up, the economy growing and borrowing down-all radically different from what would have happened if we had listened to the recipe from the Labour party.
• . . Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington, Liberal Democrat): One year on after the coalition was formed, would the Prime Minister like to update the House on the progress that has been made in tackling the economic and financial wasteland that was left to us by the previous Government?
David Cameron (Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative): The point I would make to the hon. Gentleman is that not only are exports growing and manufacturing growing, but we have 400,000 more people in work than there were a year ago-[ Interruption. ]
John Bercow (Speaker): Order. I apologise to the Prime Minister. There is far too much noise in the Chamber. I heard the question; I want to hear the Prime Minister's answer.
David Cameron (Prime Minister; Witney, Conservative): The fact is, Mr Speaker, that Labour Members do not want to hear what this Government have achieved over the last year, because it is this Government who have cut the deficit, who capped immigration, who froze the council tax, who have linked the pension back to earnings, who have taken a million people out of income tax, who have reformed welfare, and who have created more academy schools in 12 months than that lot managed in 12 years. That is a record, with much more to do, that I think the coalition can be proud of.
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